Tammin Sursok defends Hollywood writer and actor strike

Tammin Sursok defends Hollywood strike action and reveals the ‘horrible’ reality faced by writers and actors due to low wages and artificial intelligence

Australian actress Tammin Sursok has thrown her support behind the Hollywood writers and actor who are on strike after calls for increased wages and protections against artificial intelligence were not met. 

The The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) announced on Thursday afternoon that it had officially voted for a work stoppage to begin at midnight, with 160,000 actors downing tools. 

These actors joined forces with members of Hollywood’s Writers Guild, who went on strike in May. 

Tammin, who worked as an actor in the states for a decade, took to Instagram on Sunday to explain why strike action was necessary. 

‘I don’t think many truly understand why the writers and actors are striking in Hollywood. So many people cannot make ends meet, cannot support their families or get healthcare because they don’t meet the minimum $26K a year to qualify,’ she wrote. 

Australian actress Tammin Sursok (pictured) has thrown her support behind the Hollywood writers and actor who are on strike after calls for increased wages and protections against artificial intelligence were not met

‘And many qualify due to their residual income (which is paid when a show or film is repeated) the studios make money, so why not the people involved?’ 

The Pretty Little Liars star also noted that artificial is a ‘massive issue’ facing Hollywood, as developing technology is fast being used to replace actors. 

‘An actor can be in a movie but not in the actual movie! Because it would be AI. And they would not have a say,’ she explained, adding that background actors’ faces could be copied and used for ’70 days’ without the actors ‘making a dime’. 

Tammin, who worked as an actor in the states for a decade, took to Instagram on Sunday to explain why strike action was necessary 

‘There is so much more to this and it’s really horrible what’s going on right now, ‘ the she concluded. 

Tammin also re-shared a graphic that quoted a statement George Clooney which was made following the SAG’s strike announcement. 

The Oscar-winning actor threw his support behind the strike, saying that ‘actors and writers in large numbers have lost their ability to make a living.’ 

So many people cannot make ends meet, cannot support their families or get healthcare because they don’t meet the minimum $26K a year to qualify,’ she wrote

SAG-AFTRA announced on Thursday that talks with studios had ended without a deal, paving the way for a vote on the first actors strike in more than four decades.

The union had sought to address dwindling pay and the threat posed by artificial intelligence.

It is demanding higher pay to counteract inflation, and guarantees for their future livelihoods.

Actress Fran Drescher (pictured) the president of SAG-AFTRA, and SAG-AFTRA national executive director and chief negotiator Duncan Crabtree-Ireland announced the union would strike beginning at midnight

In addition to salaries when they are actively working, actors earn payments called ‘residuals’ every time a film or show they starred in is aired on network or cable — which is particularly helpful when performers are between projects.

But today, streamers like Netflix and Disney+ do not disclose viewing figures for their shows, and offer the same flat rate for everything on their platforms, regardless of its popularity.

Muddying the waters further is the issue of AI.

The union was seeking ‘a groundbreaking AI proposal that protects actors’ digital likenesses.’ Actors are worried that their digital images could be used without their permission or proper compensation.

Members of the Guild are seen protesting at The Walt Disney Studios on July 13

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